BRANDON Lizama Benavente will serve seven years in prison for burglary and illegal possession of firearm.
On Thursday, Oct. 10, he pled guilty to burglary in Criminal Case No. 24-0018-CR and illegal possession of firearm in Criminal Case No. 24-0006-CR, and admitted to violating his probation in Criminal Case No. 21-0141-CR.
Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo accepted the defendant’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment, all suspended except for seven years, not subject to parole or early release, with credit for 252 days of time served in Criminal Case No. 24-0018-CR.
In Criminal Case No. 24-0006-CR the court sentenced the defendant to 10 years’ imprisonment, all suspended except for seven years, not subject to parole or early release, with credit for 252 days of time served.
In Criminal Case No. 21-0141-CR, the defendant will serve the remaining four years of his suspended sentence, not subject to parole, early release or work release.
The sentences will run concurrently, and he will be released from the custody of the Department of Corrections on Feb. 1, 2031.
He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine and $100 in court costs.
After serving his sentence, Benavente will be placed on 10 years’ probation immediately.
The conditions of his probation include paying a $1,210 probation fee and $93,500 in restitution to the victim. The $350 restitution in CR 21-0141 will be converted to a civil judgment.
In addition, Benavente will perform 160 hours of community service.
Moreover, he “shall cooperate with the Office of the Attorney General and truthfully testify against the co-defendant, Consolacion Sablan, at any hearing or court proceeding, including testifying at trial or revocation hearings against individuals involved,” the judgment and commitment order stated.
Attorney Vincent Seman represented Benavente while Assistant Attorney General Heather Barcinas represented the government.
The complaint
According to the complaint against Benavente and Sablan, on Jan. 31, 2024, Judge Joseph N. Camacho signed a search warrant for the apartment and vehicle of the defendants relating to a burglary and theft case.
On Feb. 1, the Department of Public Safety-Rapid Response Team executed the search warrant on the couple’s apartment and found a Daisy .22 long rifle leaning against the wall by the mirror.
AN initial search of the couple’s vehicle using a K9 also resulted in the discovery of a broken glass pipe in the rear passenger seat, and a clear mini-Ziploc bag containing marijuana and two orange pills in the dashboard ashtray.
Police said during the search of the apartment, they found stolen items and other evidence of burglary and theft.
The DPS search team likewise found multiple mini-Ziploc bags containing white crystalline-like substances on a table, in a drawer and in a bag on a sofa. In addition, police found 30 units of .22 caliber ammunition.
The field test of the crystalline-like substances in the mini-Ziploc bags yielded positive for methamphetamine. Police said 4.2 grams of meth were confiscated by the task force.
Investigators also verified the serial number on the rifle found in the house and learned that it was not registered.
